Saudi Arabia secured the hosting rights for the 2034 FIFA World Cup on December 11, local construction news agency NEMNNA reported, after the kingdom's bid achieved the highest evaluation score in tournament history.

The successful bid, which garnered 419.8 out of 500 points, will see matches organised across five primary cities - Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar, Abha, and NEOM - utilising 15 stadia, including 11 newly constructed venues, NEMNNA said.

The tournament represents Saudi Arabia's first FIFA World Cup hosting duties and continues the Gulf region's emergence as a significant sporting destination following Qatar's staging of the 2022 tournament. Many sports experts and fans alike have caused the oil power of "sportswashing" its activities to gain a foothold and clout in the global sporting calendar. 

The cornerstone of the programme will be the new King Salman Stadium in Riyadh, boasting a capacity of more than 92,000 spectators. It will host both the opening ceremony and the final before becoming the national team's home ground.

Saudi organisers unveiled plans for 132 training centres across 15 cities to accommodate the expanded 48-team tournament format, according to NEMNNA. The facilities include 72 dedicated training pitches and two referee training centres.

The bid features innovative stadium designs, including the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Qiddiya, which will showcase a three-tiered structure overlooking Tuwaiq mountain, whilst NEOM's stadium will be integrated into The Line development at a height of 350 metres, powered entirely by renewable energy.

Accommodation plans include more than 230,000 rooms throughout host and support cities for delegates, teams, media, and supporters. Fan festivals will be staged at various locations, including Jeddah's waterfront and what is planned to be the world's largest urban park, King Salman Park in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia emerged as the sole candidate for 2034 after Australia withdrew its bid consideration in October. The kingdom's selection follows FIFA's award of the 2030 World Cup to a Spain-Portugal-Morocco joint bid, with three matches in South America.

During the Qatar World Cup, many people complained about the strict alcohol-free rules, with many people snubbing the event during the country's winter in the middle of the football season in Europe and Asia. 

Bne IntelliNews spoke with a South African sports journalist who said: Basically, it's just a show of force from another Gulf nation that was able to outbid their rivals and appeal to FIFA's quest for money," he said, asking for anonymity.

"We saw this happen in Qatar, and while Australia may have withdrawn from the running to leave Saudi as the sole bidder, this shows how FIFA would rather follow the money trail."

"We haven't had an African World Cup apart from 2010, and Australia would have been the first host in the Asia-Pacific since 2002. FIFA should have awarded the tournament to a host from a region that hasn't had the opportunity to host a World Cup for an extended period," he added

The football expert noted, "Saudi Arabia has never been a football-mad country. Same as Qatar."